Fascinating food in New York and occasionally farther afield

Jackfruit vendor

Fresh jackfruit is bliss.

In Siem Reap, Cambodia, I'd bought the juicy sheathes by the bagful (some years ago, for the equivalent of about 50 cents). On returning to New York, when I finally tracked down fresh jackfruit, the vendor merely sliced off slabs that also contained a lot of waste pith and fiber, so the asking price ($4 per pound) was effectively much higher. Happily, this newer Canal St. vendor — in recent weeks, the only jackfruit seller in sight — performed the tedious work of husking the sheathes and tucking them into a tub (also $4 per pound). Not only is it more aesthetically pleasing than a slab of whole fruit, it fits more snugly into a backpack, too. (Thanks for the tip, Rich!)

Jackfruit vendorCanal St. near Mulberry or Mott, on the shady south sideExact location varies from an abandoned mini-storefront (shown) to a nearby table Likelier found on sunny days, for an undetermined season